


It's What Sisters Do

by WintermoonQueen



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-18 05:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1417662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WintermoonQueen/pseuds/WintermoonQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Frozen, this drabble series focuses on the relationship between Anna and Elsa and how they make up for the 13 years they've lost. They share laughs, fights, tears, and pain as Elsa continues to struggle with moments of anxiety and tries to mend her bond with Anna, who is more than happy to have her sister in her life again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Tug and a Pull

**A Tug and a Pull**

 

"Anna."

"Wait! Hold still just a little longer, pleaaase?"

She let out a grunt and pursed her lips impatiently. When Anna had stumbled into her room at six in the morning, excited and enthusiastic about the winter festivities and suggested that she style Elsa's hair, the queen found that she couldn't say no.

However, she was hardly enjoying it.

"Ow, _Anna_!"

"Sorry sorry! Almost there, I promise!"

Elsa winced at another tug, and she could feel her bangs being pulled backward. She had been sitting on her bed patiently for at least an hour, enduring every yank her younger sister managed to give which, from time to time, elicited a tiny gasp or groan from the queen.

"What are you doing back there?" she finally demanded with a raised brow.

Anna brushed a long piece of platinum blonde hair away from her face.

"You'll see~!" she chirped in response. Elsa could just imagine the large, teasing smile that adorned Anna's face.

Despite her earlier annoyance accompanied with the fact that she could hardly ever deny her younger sister, Elsa closed her eyes and couldn't hold back the small chuckle that fell from her parted lips.

Anna tucked a few more pieces of hair to the back of Elsa's head then clasped her hands together.

"Finished!"

The queen let out an inaudible sigh of relief as she rose from her seat and peered carefully into the mirror. Her bangs had been brushed back, clasped near the back of her head by a silver and sapphire-gem clip which closely resembled that of a snowflake. Tilting her head to the side, Elsa noticed that a large portion of her hair tumbled down her back in slight waves while small strands of platinum blonde tresses were carefully braided and wrapped toward the glittering clip.

"You kept my hair down?" Elsa asked, her brows knitted with confusion as she fingered a few loose strands that framed her face. She couldn't deny that she did prefer her hair this way. She felt less restrained, free.

"I rarely see you with your hair down. You have such beautiful hair, Elsa. I'm a little jealous, why do you always put it up?" Anna shifted at Elsa's side, and out of the corner of her eye, the queen noticed her younger sister bite at her bottom lip.

Elsa sighed.

 "I don't know, I guess I'm just used to putting it up."

Anna then placed her hands on her hips and huffed, causing Elsa to roll her eyes.

"Well you should leave it down more! Really, it wouldn't kill you once in a while... would it?"

Elsa offered Anna a soft smile as she leaned forward to place her hands on her sister's shoulders.

"No, you're right. I should let it down once in a while." Then a mischievous smile curled upon Elsa's features as she gently pushed Anna into the chair. "But now, I think it's your turn~!"

"Wait, what? You're going to style my hair? I thought you had a meeting this morning!"

Elsa found herself rolling her eyes again as she leaned forward. She was so close that her cheek brushed against Anna's as a teasing smile played across her lips.

"They can wait ten minutes. What kind of sister would I be if I didn't return the favor?"

She watched Anna in the mirror as a large, bloomed along her younger sister's face. Elsa's fingers gently parted the ginger strands, pulling one over the other as she began to braid.

"Besides, we can have the same hair style for once."

Anna shifted in her seat as Elsa continued. A soft, amused chuckle escaped her lips. Anna was never one to sit still when she was giddy.

"I-I'd love that, Elsa."

Brushing a piece of her sister's hair from her face, Elsa glanced into the mirror.

Meeting eyes, both sisters smiled.


	2. Glide With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T
> 
> Having taken the rest of the day off, Elsa teaches Anna how to ice-skate.

A solid knock on her door barely made her flinch as she released a drawn out groan and rolled onto her stomach. She licked her chapped lips and gave another animalistic grunt when the knocking became more insistent.

“Anna?”

The said woman scrunched her nose in response and flipped her pillow over her head in an attempt to block out the noise.

“Are you napping?”

A light snore was the only response Anna gave, and the next thing that was said sounded too incoherent for her to comprehend as she buried her face deeper into the warmth of her covers. A low, pleased hum rumbled in her throat when all was silent again.

A frigid impact of ice forced Anna from her bed with a loud screech of surprise as she fell face-first onto the cold hard ground. Her arms and legs were sprawled out as she shivered, muttering a curse under her breath.

“E- _Elsa_?!”

Anna’s eyes widened the second she noticed her older sister leaning over her with a lopsided grin and an infamously raised brow. Her left hand remained on her hip as she teasingly tossed a snowball in her right.

“Glad to see you’re finally _awake_.”

Anna shot her a glare.

“Not funny,” she murmured as she rose to her feet, dusting bits and pieces of frost off her dress with a pout. “I was sound asleep!”

“In the middle of the day?” Elsa responded with a tilt of her head.

“ _Yes!_ It’s called a _nap_! You should try it sometime!” she exclaimed, causing the queen to purse her lips. Anna just barely dodged the snowball that was then propelled at her face.

“Queens don’t nap,” her sister replied, brushing the remnants of snow off her palms.

“Don’t or _won’t_?”

Elsa just rolled her eyes and turned, her heels clicked on the wooden floor as she seemed to float with grace toward the doorway.

“Come.”

Anna scrambled to follow her.

“Where are we going?” she asked with wide eyes, her interest suddenly piqued.

Elsa shot her a sideways glance. Anna noticed that a broad smile crossed her sister’s ivory features, causing a smile of her own to bloom. The bright twinkle in the queen’s eyes alerted Anna, and she wasn’t sure if she should feel excited or nervous. Perhaps both.

“You’ll see~” Elsa seemed to sing, her voice held a high, teasing tone. Anna bit her bottom lip and she became cautious with every step she took.

“. . . I’m not in trouble am I?”

Elsa merely gave a soft chuckle as she reached out to take Anna’s hand gently.

“No, not at all.”

Anna remained silent after that, her eyes travelling to their hands. She felt cold, but comfortable. There was always something peculiar and comforting about the chill Elsa engulfed her with. Not that she was complaining.

Anna found herself taking swift strides to keep up with her sister. Her hand tightened around Elsa’s brisk fingers as her light blue eyes darted in every which way as they passed hallway after hallway and made a slight turn. It was then that it dawned on her as to where Elsa was taking her.

“The ballroom?” she whispered curiously as her eyebrows knitted downward.

Elsa only flashed her an excited smile.

“Well, where else would I teach you how to ice-skate?”

Excitement and nervousness bubbled in the pit of her stomach as she recalled the last time she attempted to skate. It was disastrous, and she found herself clinging onto her older sister for dear life as she stumbled and slipped and tried to regain her balance so as to not crack her head open on the ice.

Needless to say, she didn’t quite enjoy that experience.

It nerved her that Olaf seemed to catch on much quicker, but then again he was a part of Elsa, and ice-skating was something that the queen excelled in naturally—just like how everything else came naturally to her. Anna couldn’t help but feel jealous.

She gasped as the double doors drifted open in response to an elegant wave of the queen’s hand as a rush of arctic air pushed up against their smooth surface.

The ballroom had in fact been transformed into a winter wonderland as the wooden floors were covered in a thick sheet of ice as frost gently coated the walls and brushed against the unlit candles on either side.

“ _Woah_ . . .” she breathed in awe.

Anna took a tentative step forward and immediately regretted her decision when she lost all friction under her feet, causing her to stumble backwards. If Elsa had reacted a second later without taking hold of her arms and pulling her back up to her feet, Anna was positive she would have split her head open right then and there.

“Anna! Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah, just fine.” Anna sighed and averted her gaze as she felt a blush dust her cheeks with embarrassment at her clumsy slip up. She then cleared her throat and chanced a sideways glance at Elsa. “Are . . . are you sure about this? I mean, you know I can’t skate and—“

“I know you can’t,” Elsa cut in with a soft smile. She took hold of Anna’s arms and carefully led her into the ballroom, “that’s why I took the rest of the afternoon off to teach you.”

Anna opened her mouth again, taken aback, then closed it.

“Wait, really? You actually cancelled your appointments for . . . for _me_?”

“Of course, after all you’re the sister of the infamous _Snow Queen_. What would people think if you couldn’t skate?” The queen’s gentle smile then turned into a teasing grin as she grasped at Anna’s elbows firmly, helping her younger sister to balance herself on the ice.

Anna’s brows knitted in concentration as she worried her lower lip nervously. The guilt of being the reason Arendelle would be missing their queen for the rest of the day gnawed at her.

“O-Oh Elsa, you really didn’t have to. I’d only be wasting your time after all, I’m sure discussing trade agreements with the council would be way more useful than actually teaching me how to skate!”

The queen merely rolled her eyes in response and waved her right hand, flicking her wrist downward to form two thin, yet sturdy sheets of ice that resembled blades, beneath Anna’s slippers.

“W-Wo _oaah_ ,” she gasped out. Her legs shook as she fought for balance. When she felt her feet slide against her will, Anna promptly moved forward. Her hands found solid support on Elsa’s arms and a sigh of relief fell from her parted lips.

Elsa laughed lightly with what Anna perceived as amusement.

Then princess gave a pout as she glared up at her older sister.

“N-Not funny!”

“Relax, Anna. I’m right here, trust me.”

“Okay . . .” she breathed and closed her eyes, concentrating on keeping her balance. “Okay I-I think I’m good nooooow—Elsa, w-wait!” Anna released a small squeal of terror when Elsa began to skate backwards, pulling Anna along with her.

She clenched her teeth and unconsciously dug her nails into Elsa’s arms when they slowly began to glide. While Elsa had perfect control of her movements, Anna on the other hand slid every which way on unsteady legs. Her feet scattered backwards multiple times, in which Anna would squeeze her eyes shut and hold onto her older sister for dear life.

The farther apart her legs slid from each other, the more she could feel that they were slowing down in their movements until Elsa came to a full stop. A tiny, amused chuckle sounded from above when Anna gave a frustrated grunt.

“Just leave me here to _die_ ,” she grumbled, flaring her nostrils as she slowly descended the rest of the way down to the surface of the ice, her legs sprawled on either side of her. Her palms rested on the frozen, smooth surface of the ground as she held the upper half of her body upward. “Ugh.”

“Oh you’re so dramatic, Anna. Here,” Elsa said and leaned down to take Anna’s hands in her own to pull the princess up on her feet. “Stop trying to walk, that’s where you lose your balance. Just glide, and pivot. It’s not too hard once you get the hang of it.”

Getting up on her feet, Anna tightened her fingers around Elsa’s hands and blew an exaggerated puff of air, flitting her bangs upward.

“That’s easy for you to say. Everything comes naturally to you,” she countered, clearly frustrated.

Elsa shot her a concerned look as she slid to her side, only taking one hand.

“There’s nothing to be jealous of, Anna. You can do it, just follow my movements.”

Anna frowned. Her eyes travelled down to her feet, suddenly feeling guilty of her accusation. No, it wasn’t that everything came easy to her older sister; in fact, there were plenty of things that hindered Elsa—things that no one could help her with. It wasn’t anything as simple as ice skating. It wasn’t something that could be learned, not like this. No, and though she couldn’t fully understand such hardships, Anna knew that avoiding anxiety wasn’t something that could be taught.

With new-found resolve, Anna puffed out her chest and took in a breath.

She tightened her hold on Elsa’s hand.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

They started off slow. Elsa slid her left foot forward, and Anna mirrored her movements. Then they both followed with the right foot, gliding it in place with the left for a fraction of a second before sweeping the left out once more.

“Glide and pivot, Anna. Yes, yes that’s it! Keep going,” Elsa encouraged and slowly let go of Anna’s hand.

She panicked for a moment at the sudden loss of her older sister to hold onto as she began to struggle to keep her balance on the ice. However, she quickly recovered by skating forward with her right foot.

“That’s it! You got it!” Elsa gave a small laugh as she slid by Anna’s side, keeping her arms out just in case.

A wide smile bloomed along Anna’s face when she glided and pivoted once more without fighting to keep her balance.

“I-I think I got it! Ha ha, Elsa look! This . . . this is amazing—w- _woah!_ ”

Elsa’s eyes widened as she shot forward, catching Anna by the arms when she began to plunge forward.

A deep blush burned at Anna’s cheeks when she gave a tentative, embarrassed smile.

“T-Thanks.”

Elsa released a low laugh, entwining her fingers with Anna’s as a soft smile adorned her features.

“I knew you could do it.”

 


	3. Hot Chocolate and Smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a frigid winter day, and both sisters remember the reason why they love hot chocolate.

The storm howled, and hail pelted against the window pane as a lone figure lay perched on a red, velvet couch with a book propped open in her hands. She ignored the blizzard that raged outside as if it were nothing but a peaceful, starry sky as she ran a finger along the edge of the page and flipped to the next.

The fireplace across from her flickered. Its soft glow the only light that engulfed her study as she read. It licked the air, warming her skin and faded in and out as if it were fighting the storm.

So immersed in her book the queen was that she almost missed the familiar five, rhythmic knocks that rapped at her door before her sister forced her way in with her shoulder while she held two full mugs of hot chocolate in both hands.

Elsa marked her page and closed the book, offering Anna a soft smile as her sister made her way over to the couch—remarkably without spilling the drinks.

She gingerly took one of the mugs and curled her legs up on the futon. A low hum rumbled in her throat as she took a sip.

Anna plopped on the couch next to her, not caring how come hot chocolate spilled over the brim of her mug and splattered onto her dress. Before Elsa could lecture her for her carelessness, Anna shot her a smirk and licked the small trail of chocolate from the bottom of the mug and to the rim.

Elsa opted to roll her eyes instead and took another tentative sip of her own hot chocolate.

"Brrrr, it's cold out there!" Anna shivered as she leaned against Elsa's shoulder.

"Anna, don't tell me you—"

Anna waved a hand at her as if that would calm the older sister, "No no, I didn't go outside Elsa, but if you put your hands against the windows it's so so cooold!"

"Anna," Elsa sighed, pulling her lips away from her drink, "I don't feel the cold."

There was a short silence, then a low murmur of, " _Oh, right_."

Shaking her head, the queen closed her eyes and took a whiff of her cocoa before taking another sip. A loud, disturbing, slurping noise sounded to her left and Elsa bit her tongue to keep from chastising her sister about how  _that was certainly not how a princess should behave_. Instead, she settled for shooting a hard look at Anna who, in return, just gave a devilish grin. A long, smear of chocolate coated her upper lip and Elsa couldn't help but let out a small laugh as she motioned to her lips.

Anna looked confused. She glanced down at her now-chocolate-coated monstrosity of a mug and frowned.

"You—you have . . ." the queen released another bout of laughter, she then paused to take in a breath between her refined giggles, "a chocolate mustache."

Anna's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Her tongue snuck out from the corner of her lips and attempted, but failed to lap at the chocolate that resided there. The princess huffed and set her mug down on a nearby table.

"Where's a mirror when I need one?" she grumbled, her eyes scanning the room.

Elsa just slumped backward on the couch and held another fit of giggles behind her fingertips. She held her own hot chocolate in her right hand, keeping her arm upright so as not to spill it all over herself.

"Should I call you  _Sir_  Anna now?" she asked, though a sly smirk found its way upon her countenance.

Anna looked back at her and blinked before a grin was plastered on her face. She stood from her position on the couch and puffed out her chest, causing Elsa to quirk a brow at her odd behavior.

Somehow, the queen felt as though she knew where this was going.

Anna cleared her throat and fell into a deep bow, holding out her hand.

"Well my beautiful, oh-so- _majestic_ Queen, would you care to take a stroll with me? The handsome  _Sir_  Anna?" she asked, her voice lowered a few octaves for a dramatic effect.

Elsa shook her head in amusement and settled her mug on the stand on her right. She took Anna's hand and rose to her feet.

Deciding to humor her sister, she replied, "Why thank you,  _Sir_  Anna. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Anna placed a small kiss upon the queen's knuckles and smirked.

"Just your hand in marriage your Majesty~"

Elsa rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her chest and feigned shock.

"Oh my, I couldn't . . ."

Anna, on the other hand, couldn't take it any longer and hunched forward with her arms around her stomach and let out the loudest, most outrageous laugh Elsa had ever heard fall from her sister's mouth.

Quite amused with the night's events, the queen snagged a napkin and turned back to Anna who seemed to have taken her laughing fit to the ground, nearly knocking over her mug of hot chocolate.

"Come here oh dear little sister," Elsa cooed when she knelt down.

In response, Anna lifted her head and pursed her lips. Elsa assumed that it was her lousy attempt at holding in her laughter. She dabbed at the chocolate mustache, wiping it away as well as any other remnants of chocolate that had managed to speckle itself along her sister's face.

When she was finished, Elsa leaned back to admire her work. And as the fire next to them seemed to die out, a small smile adorned her features.

The temperature in the room gave a slight drop and Anna sighed, wrapping an arm around herself when she lifted what was left of her lukewarm hot chocolate to her mouth.

Taking note of the silence that fell between them as well as the shivers that raced through her sister, Elsa moved closer to Anna and wrapped her in a warm blanket.

Anna glanced at the queen from the corner of her eye as her lips pulled upward into a smile of gratitude.

Elsa felt a smile of her own form in return as she sat next to her sister and pulled her knees to her chest. With the mug carefully placed between her fingers, she rested her head on Anna's shoulder and watched the dying embers glimmer under the burnt wood in the fireplace.

The princess shifted beside her and gave a sigh of content, "I missed this."

Elsa took a sip of her warm drink. She was silent for a few moments, listening to the relentless storm outside. She closed her eyes, taking in the warmth of her sister beside her and the distinct scent of rich chocolate.

She didn't know how many years it had been since she'd felt so safe and secure.

"Me too."

For the first time in thirteen years, it felt like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that I do take requests! :D


	4. Winter's Void

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: implications of an anxiety attack.

There were always days where the sun was bright and the air was warm and inviting. She’d run outside, through the open gates with her arms spread out and tilt her head back with her eyes closed, just to bask in the sunlight.

But then there were days where everything was dead.

It was an odd feeling, like everything she loved had lost its color, its  _warmth_.

Anna speculated that she had a sixth sense for these type of days.

Some days the sun would be out, but it would be hidden beneath the clouds only to peak out for a minute or two.

The trees would bow, but refuse to budge, even when brushed by a cold breeze.

The horses would stay hidden in their stables and the reindeer would scrape their hooves and cant their heads as if to warn for an oncoming storm.

It always felt like something was missing.

Like  _she_  was missing.

At night it would always get worse, that’s when she would realize that something was wrong.

Tonight was no different.

She felt it in the way the temperature took a drastic dive, and Anna rubbed her arms as she gave a shuttering breath. She could hear her teeth chattering when she began to make her way down the corridor, toward her sister’s bedroom.

She wasn’t surprised to find that the door wouldn’t budge. The handle was ice-cold to the touch, and she resisted the urge to pull away when her hands instantly felt numb. Instead, she curled her fingers around the handle tighter and pressed down. It gave a small rattle before she heard a loud crack, and it was then that she realized that the door wasn’t locked—rather, it was barricaded with ice.

Anna frowned and her eyebrows knit downward when concern bubbled in her chest. She bit her lip and turned her head to the side to press her ear against the door.

“Elsa?” she called.

Her sister gave no answer.

The princess shifted on her feet and used both her hands to push down on the handle as she used her shoulder to push forward with every bit of strength she had. The door gave a loud groan followed by a muffled shatter before it burst open.

“W-Woah!” Anna lurched forward on shaky legs, close to losing her balance on the sheer sheet of ice that thinly coated every inch of the room. She let loose a low, relieved breath when she managed to steady herself.

“A-Anna?”

At the sound of her sister’s small voice, Anna’s head shot up and she squinted her eyes to try and see through the darkness of the room.

“Elsa?” she called and took a tentative step forward. A loud crack sounded from beneath her feet, but she ignored it and trudged on.

Anna clasped her hands on her arms and rubbed. She released a shuddering breath, halting when she noticed that it had manifested into the form of a frost cloud. She was sure the room’s temperature was set below the point of freezing, and she knew then that this wasn’t a natural occurrence.

Stalagmites and stalactites filled the room at every corner, their ends sharp enough to pierce through skin; she didn’t stop to think what would happen if she were to slip into one. Anna warily stepped around each sharp pillar of ice which she kept at bay, lest she get frostbite with a simple touch. Even ice could be so cold that it would burn.

“Elsa?” she called again, squinting into the darkness of the room as she tried to pinpoint the exact location of her sister. She heard shuffling, followed by a ragged gasp.

“A-Anna, you should go … it’s—”

“ _No_ , Elsa. I’m not going anywhere, just . . . just give me a minute.”

She tip-toed around small, jagged spikes that lead a path to the snow-covered bed. Anna held her breath and shivered. Her feet began to feel numb through her socks and she unconsciously rubbed her hands along the sides of her arms.

“J-Jeez Elsa, a-are you trying to house  _penguins_  here?” she joked through chattering teeth and attempted a smile as she crossed the last of the space that laid between her and Elsa’s bed.

Elsa didn’t respond. She sat with her back to Anna, her arms crossed over her middle with her shoulder tensed and high. A small storm of snow swirled around her, clinging and coating the fabric of her clothes and sheets in white, as if to fill a void that had been deprived for too long.

Elsa gave no sign that she knew Anna was even there; that she even  _wanted_ her there.

Anna crawled onto the bed and moved to sit beside her, not uttering a word.

She ignored the numbness of her toes and the cold shudders that raced down her arms, because in this moment, her own comfort wasn’t what mattered.

Elsa was on her knees, half curled into a ball, convulsing beside her. Anna could see the queen’s fingers dig into sides as she released a short, ragged breath. With a heavy heart, Anna caught glimpse of a thin, silvery wet streak begin to trail down her sister’s cheeks.

Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa and pulled her close, resting her sister’s head on her chest in an unspoken attempt to calm her.

All thoughts of what could have triggered the queen was pushed to the back of her mind when she felt Elsa quiver in her arms and try to gasp for breath. Anna bit her lip and began to soothe her by weaving and running her fingers through the thick, white-blonde strands of her sister’s hair.

“Shh, Elsa it’s okay. You’re safe, I’m safe. Everything will be  _fine_ ,” she cooed.

Elsa lifted her head to rest her chin on Anna’s shoulder and embraced her.

“I’m sorry,” Elsa murmured, “ _oh God_  I’m so sorry.”

She released half-broken, choked sob.

Elsa slumped against her with her arms wrapped tightly around Anna’s middle. She could feel the warm puffs of Anna’s breath caress the strands of her hair coupled with the steady beating of her heart, a stark contrast to the rapid pounding of her own.

The queen drew in a shuddering breath as her eyes began to well up again. A warm, wet trail fell over the curve of her cheek and soaked the front of Anna’s nightgown.

She drew Anna closer and dug her fingers into her sister’s back, gathering the green fabric in her hands.

She had to make sure. She had to feel that she was  _real_. That no matter where she was, Anna was there, alive.

_Alive_  and  _happy_.

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and buried her forehead into the crook of Anna’s neck.

Everything began to slow.

It slowed until she could no longer hear the roaring of blood in her ears, until the war in her chest ceased, and until she could finally breathe.

With a deep intake of breath, Elsa pulled away from Anna’s tight embrace. She reached up with her hands and cupped the sides of her sister’s face.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Her tears evaporated.

“Anna?”

Anna curled her warm fingers around Elsa’s cold, shaking hands as a soft smile adorned her features.

“I’m here, Elsa. I’m not going anywhere.”


	5. A Second Pair

Furrowing her brows, she concentrated at the task at hand, carefully and elegantly writing out the last of the trade document so it was legible enough to read with ease. Releasing a breath, her shoulders hunched, aching from the strain. With the last swirl and scratch of her iconic signature, Elsa felt the tension leave her body like a deflating tube.

With a sigh, she leaned back in her chair and, feeling her drowsiness overcome her, she closed her eyes. Elsa wondered when it was the last time she managed to get a good night’s sleep. It would be nice to retire early tonight.

A loud, echoing thump made her shoot up in her chair with a gasp. Her eyes blinked open, widening as she snapped her head about her room, searching for the source. After a fraction of a second, she came to notice her light blue gloves–the same gloves she used for years to conceal her powers–pinned on her desk beneath a shaking hand.

Elsa frowned, confusion filling her senses as she slowly tilted her head upward until she was met with large, glistening, fiery blue eyes.

She opened her mouth to address her younger sister, but found that she had no words that could extinguish the fire that raged through Anna’s features so prominently that she was shaking. Though Elsa had no idea what she did that could have warranted this unexpected, intimidating behavior from the princess, she suspected it had everything to do with the article of clothing that Anna began to strangle between the clenching of her fingers.

“Anna–”

“How long?” Anna hissed, her eyes narrowing down at the queen.

Elsa shifted in her seat, becoming uncomfortable beneath Anna’s inquisitive glare, and squared her shoulders. She eyed the gloves for a fraction of a second before meeting her sister’s glare. Playing the good girl–the queen–she had to be under circumstances like these, Elsa hid any inkling of confusion behind her stoic composure.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” she replied with a slight frown, resisting the urge to wring her hands in her lap.

Anna gave a frustrated grunt and thrust the gloves into Elsa’s face, forcing the queen to press herself into the back of the chair. They were so close that she could feel the soft fabric brush against her cheek.

“Oh don’t pretend like you don’t know! The _gloves_ , Elsa! How long have you been keeping these from me?!” Anna demanded with a red face.

Elsa pursed her lips and pushed Anna’s hand–and the gloves–away from her face. A fury of her own began to heat up deep within her chest, and she suspected that it was only in a matter of time that she would burst. It had been a long, tiring week of meetings, reading and writing documents, and signing agreements, a confrontation with her sister was the last thing she needed right now. The queen longed to head back to her private quarters and curl up beneath the blankets if only to find herself lost beneath the words of an intriguing book.

The silence between them became unbearably palpable as Elsa’s eyes shifted between the gloves and Anna. It was so quiet that she could hear her sister’s ragged breathing, and with another glance, she noticed that the redness of her cheeks began to spread. When she stood up, Anna didn’t move, but her eyes followed the queen’s form closely.

Elsa straightened her posture and took a silent, deep breath. She could almost fore-tell Anna’s reaction, especially since her sister had such a short fuse as it was.

So, she was careful with her words and delivered them as honestly as she could, “I’ve always had a second pair.”

Anna threw them down on the queen’s desk, and Elsa almost flinched at the deafening crack they made upon contact with the furniture’s wooden surface. Like a whip-crack.

When Anna turned, she was shaking, and her eyes glistened to the brim with unshed tears. Her arms were held tight at her sides and her hands clenched into fists.

“And when,” the princess started, clenching her teeth so hard that Elsa could hear them grinding, “when were you going to tell me?”

Elsa didn’t answer. Not because she didn’t want to, but because there was nothing else she could say to calm her sister. There was nothing she could say or do to calm the raging storm she tried so desperately to keep inside on hard days; on days where it was unbearable to even look herself in the mirror and think herself human. On the days where she needed the security of the soft fabric encasing her fingers one-by-one, preventing her from hurting another living being as long as she lived.

But her silence only made Anna fume more. The princess snatched the gloves and stomped up to the queen.

“When?!” she yelled, a lone tear falling over the curve of her cheek.

Elsa forced herself to look away, a lump forming in her throat. She tried to find the courage to speak, tried to find the calm in her voice, because she knew it was becoming too much.

“I wasn’t going to tell you,” she replied robotically.

“So you lied to me,” Anna accused, jutting a finger at her as the gloves dangled from her hand. “You _lied_ when you said you wouldn’t wear gloves ever again. You lied to me and then you _kept_ them from me!”

Elsa pressed her lips into a thin line, wanting nothing more than to escape her sister’s unbridled wrath. “Anna,” she warned, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling the familiar prick of ice accumulate at her fingertips. “ _Enough_.”

“Why?! So you can run back to your room and shut me out again?” Anna bit back.

“ _I need them!_ ” Elsa cried out, recoiling with horror as ice shot out from beneath her feet and began to rise, spikes jutting out around her and pointing dangerously at her sister.

The flames that fueled Anna’s rage disappeared, snuffed out by the sight of the queen’s anger, which gave way to fear all too quickly.

“Elsa…”

“I _need_ them Anna,” Elsa choked back a sob. She could hear the ice crack beneath her feet, but she wouldn’t dare move. The room blurred as she held back hot tears and she could barely make out Anna’s shocked face. “I know I promised that I wouldn’t, but sometimes…some days I just can’t _keep_ that promise.” Her bottom lip trembled and she let out a shaky wail when her knees buckled and she crumbled to the floor, scraping her palms on the ice. “Sometimes I wake up and it’s just _too much_. I’m sorry. I’m so _sorry_ Anna, I’m not strong enough,” she hiccuped.

Anna was silent for a while, her grip loosening on the gloves until they fell to the ground between them as Elsa cried softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, crouching in front of the queen. Reaching down, Anna gripped Elsa’s cold hands in her own.

Elsa sat up, avoiding Anna’s gaze as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes despite how they continued to fall. The tiny droplets dripped onto their joined hands, but Anna didn’t seem to notice.

“I was afraid,” Elsa finally whispered, dropping her eyes. “Afraid that you would get angry.”

She gasped and tensed when Anna pulled her into a tight hug. But after a moment, Elsa relaxed and rested her forehead on her sister’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around her.

“Oh Elsa,” Anna sighed. “You don’t need those terrible gloves.” She pulled away, gave Elsa’s hands a reassuring squeeze, and smiled. “From now on, I want you to come to me when you feel like it’s too much. You don’t have to be strong on your own, you can lean on me. We’ll be strong together.”

Elsa blinked away her tears and held Anna’s hands tighter when she glanced at the fallen gloves. Memories of her isolation flashed before her eyes, a time when she was fooled into thinking how she had to handle everything on her own. When she believed her powers were what made her inhuman; a monster. When she only felt human and safe after she slid on the familiar, soft, blue fabric.

_Not anymore_ , she thought.

Without a word, she picked up the gloves—earning a look of confusion from her sister, whom she flashed a reassuring smile to—and stood. She turned and strode toward the fireplace, where its dying embers crackled and popped, and halted before the hearth.

As she stared down at the gloves in her hand, Anna stepped in beside her and hooked their arms, tugging at Elsa’s sleeve.

The queen met her sister’s wide eyes.

“Together?” Anna asked, reaching down to take Elsa’s hand in her own.

Elsa entwined their fingers in return.

“Together,” she replied with a smile.

She tossed the gloves into the fire and they watched them burn.


	6. 5 Embraces That Could Last a Lifetime

Through the years, Anna had always thought Elsa to be a woman of precise, meaningful words, ice-cold glares, and under _no_ circumstances–as Anna had come to learn during those dark thirteen years–should anyone touch her. Even when Anna had made feeble attempts in the past to take Elsa's hand or brush her fingers against her sister's shoulder, Elsa would jolt away. She was a master at avoiding contact with anyone. Not even the slightest touch could warm her sister to the idea of physical contact.

Despite ruminating over memories of when they were little where they would share a bed, hold hands, braid each other's hair, and hug, Anna eventually came to believe that these images were all part of a dream. A dream where Elsa loved her. A dream where Anna couldn't stand to be apart from Elsa, and so they would go days holding hands. Then she came to wonder when it was that she woke up. When was the exact moment she was tossed from the blissful dreams of hugging Elsa and thrust into the nightmare?

A nightmare where Elsa hated hugs and hand holding. A nightmare where Elsa hated _her_.

There never was one.

Because Anna wasn't living in the nightmare. Instead, she was trying to put together a puzzle of memories that she never knew was missing pieces.

_Elsa_ was living in the nightmare.

A nightmare where she feared her own ice-cold, shattering touch. A nightmare where she would hug herself when she cried, because no one else _could_.

If Anna had known, she would have.

If Anna had known, she would have entwined their fingers until she couldn't find where hers began and Elsa's ended.

If Anna had known, she would have wrapped her arms around her sister until the only cries she heard were of happiness and relief.

Because love _thaws_.

And after the Great Thaw, Anna took Elsa's hands in every moment she could and hugged her with every chance she got, but she still believed that Elsa herself preferred the idea of scarce physical contact.

Anna was wrong.

.

.

.

The first hug was a surprise.

It was almost mid-afternoon when Anna rolled out of bed. She could hardly remember throwing on a dress and brushing her teeth before she opened the door and was almost barreled over by a flash of blonde hair and blue (also cold, _very_ cold–why couldn't she have tropical powers again?) fabric.

It took Anna nearly a minute to register that her sister, the _Queen_ of Arendelle, had her arms wrapped around her so tight that she couldn't move. When she wanted to return the embrace, she found that her arms were pinned to her sides (to her chagrin).

Just when Elsa's arms loosened, Anna let out a sigh and smiled, shifting her body so she could return the huge, only to find that the queen had only taken that second to readjust her grip and rest her head on the princess's shoulder.

"E-Elsa?" Anna called to her with furrowed brows, her heart pounding in her chest. Because Elsa was hugging her. Holy Sven's carrots, Elsa was _hugging_ her. "Are…are you _okay_?"

When a few more long ( _never-ending_ was her favorite word to describe this, odd moment)seconds passed between them, Anna had begun to fear the worst. That's when Elsa began to shake.

Anna's heart dropped to her stomach.

Elsa lifted her head and Anna found herself staring into the most beautiful bright blue eyes she had ever seen. Of course, Anna had always known that Elsa's eyes were blue (much like her own), but this was the first time she had ever been able to inspect them up close. They glittered in a way that reminded her of how the sun catches a fresh mound of snow; bright and peaceful.

That's when she realized that Elsa was smiling, and she felt her heart beating in her chest again; calm like the soft waves on the fjord.

So she let Elsa fall against her, wrapping her arms her as her older sister pressed her ear against her breast, right above her heart.

"I _missed_ you, Anna," Elsa sighed, embracing her once more.

.

.

.

The second hug was fleeting.

Anna was on her way to Elsa's study when she met her half-way in the hall. When their eyes met, a smile so wide bloomed along her sister's face that all of the tension that Anna had noticed moments before, vanished.

"Hey Elsa–" she started, but her eyes darted to the meeting hall doors, which were left ajar as the councilmen started filing in, and stumbled over her words as she corrected herself "–I-I mean Queen. Sorry."

Elsa chuckled with a hand brushing over her mouth, "I'm your sister, Anna. You don't need to address me by my title."

Anna's eyes flickered back to one of the councilmen and she frowned, shifting uncomfortably. Elsa, catching onto her sister's discomfort, pressed her lips into a thin line and followed her gaze.

"Even in front of them," she said, her gaze flickering back to Anna.

"A-Are you sure? Won't they…you know, get _mad_?"

Elsa laughed, "Since when do you listen to stuffy old men?"

Anna relaxed at this and found Elsa's laugh to be contagious when she couldn't hold back her own. "You've got a point."

When their laughter died down and silence settled between them, neither of them moved.

So many words jumped off the tip of Anna's tongue. There was a reason she wanted to find her sister, so why couldn't she bring herself to say it?

Elsa was the first to speak.

"Anna, did you need something?"

The princess worried her bottom lip and clasped her hands behind her back, avoiding Elsa's curious gaze.

_Come on Anna, just_ tell _her._

Anna puffed out her cheeks and gathered her courage.

"I just wanted to tell you that I was going for a sleigh ride with Kristoff and Sven," she blurted, then felt the urge to shrink back. Or run. Maybe if she slowly walked backwards, Elsa wouldn't notice?

The smile on Elsa's face vanished and Anna feared the worst. She squinted her eyes shut when Elsa walked toward her and…enveloped her in a hug?

Anna popped an eye open, but as soon as she did, Elsa had already moved away.

"Be _careful_. And don't stay out too late," Elsa warned over her shoulder, despite the twitch of a smile that only Anna could detect as the queen glided to the meeting room.

Anna still felt the warmth of the hug as she rode in the sleigh next to Kristoff, basking in the chilly, mountain air that brushed against her face.

.

.

.

The third hug was for comfort.

She screamed and shot up in her bed. She found herself covered in cold sweat and her stomach turned as hot, fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks.

When she sniffed and gave a half-hearted attempt to wipe them away with the back of her hand, the doorknob to her bedroom door rattled and Elsa all but burst into her room.

"Anna what–?" she started, breathless. Her wide blue eyes almost glowed in the moonlight and her heaving chest were enough clues to tell the princess that her sister had sprinted down the hallway the second the scream left Anna's lips.

Elsa's eyes darted around the room, in search of an intruder, but Anna shook her head and swallowed, willing her heart to stop battering like a bull in a cage.

"I-I'm okay Elsa. It was just a n-nightmare–"

Anna gasped and froze when Elsa knelt on her bed and wrapped her arms her. When the warmth of the hug evaporated the nightmare-cold sweat and stilled her trembling, Anna relaxed into Elsa's embrace and closed her eyes, listening to her sister's steady heartbeat.

Elsa tightened her hold on her, then rested her cheek on her head and whispered, "Don't worry Anna, I got you."

For the first time in thirteen years, Anna felt loved.

.

.

.

The fourth hug was mischievous.

Anna had waited for _days_ for this opportune moment.

She held back a giggle as she stood outside of Elsa's bedroom as the sun began to rise, streaming in through the crack between the dark purple curtains, with a forgotten, dripping ink brush in her hand.

As her sister began to rise, Anna shuffled away from the door, opting to press herself against the wall instead, and waited with bated breath.

A few minutes passed and she waited with open ears.

Ten minutes passed and she noticed–with dread–the dripping trail of ink she'd left outside of Elsa's door.

Five more minutes and there was still no sound.

One minute later she chanced a peak into the room and Elsa opened the door so wide that Anna stumbled in with a gasp, her arms spread at her sides to steady herself.

When she looked up, Elsa had a soft smile on her face. Anna would have returned it if she wasn't struggling to hold back the chortle that threatened to escape at the sight of two black circles around her sister's eyes and half of an inked mustache curling just above her pink lips.

" _Good morning_ Anna," Elsa greeted. There was a twinkle in her eye that Anna couldn't identify, but her curiosity left her the moment she felt her sister's arms wrap around her and she relaxed within their hold.

"Good morning El–" she cut off with a yelp and struggled to jump away, pushing her palms against Elsa to put distance between them as cold, hard and soft snow was shoved down the back of her nightgown. But Elsa only tightened her hold with a grin and sent a gust of icy wind down her little sister's back to accompany the snow.

Anna bit back a screech and shivered.

Elsa's grin grew wide, shoving one last snowball onto Anna's head. " _I love you_ , my dear _little_ sister," she cooed sweetly.

" _Elsa!_ "

For the rest of the day, Anna was forced to walk around with her braids curled up against her head, frozen like ice-blocks.

.

.

.

The fifth hug was the warmest.

It was evening when she found Elsa in the library sitting by the window, her gaze fixated on the fjord, watching as the gentle waves moved with hypnotizing rhythm and glittered against the sunset.

Anna tried to be silent as she stepped in, careful not to disturb the only moment of peace her sister managed to find that day. But stealth was not her element and she closed the door a little harder than she wanted, wincing as the wooden crack echoed in the room.

That's when Elsa's tired eyes turned to look at her and Anna felt her heart skip a beat at the soft smile that adorned her sister's face.

The queen then stood from her spot by the window and crossed the room. When she stood before Anna, the princess noticed the flinch of hesitation and smiled.

"It's okay Elsa," Anna reassured her in a soft, but sincere voice.

That's when she noticed, for the first time, how the tension in Elsa's shoulders vanished and all of the years of hesitation, despair, and deprivation, dissipated when she enveloped Anna in a tight, warm hug; a hug so warm and so full of love that Anna wondered how Elsa managed to survive all those years _without_ them.

Anna gave a start when Elsa shifted against her and sighed, worried that the hug was over too soon, but her sister only tightened her hold.

"I love you, Anna," she murmured.

Anna closed her eyes and returned the embrace, never wanting the moment to end.

.

.

.

If she had to spend the next thirteen years within Elsa's warm arms, Anna would be more than okay with that.


End file.
